David Cameron states the blindingly obvious and the Westminster village yokels are amazed
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Version 0 of 1. It’s carrotgate. Kitchen unconfidential. Catastrophe in Le Creuset. The prime minister states the blindingly obvious and Westminster village yokels declare themselves stunned, amazed and “totally distracted”. David Cameron thinks 15 years as party leader will be enough, and there are plenty of people able to follow him. Shock, horror. How could he say such a thing? Sometimes the village is beyond silly. Other countries have fixed terms and contrive to struggle through. In Britain power has traditionally been built on the doctrine of uncertainty. Every leader should aspire to being a Walpole, a Palmerston or a Gladstone, shifting their party furniture round them over time. That is how they build power round a decision, how ultimately they get to choose their successors. Declare timetables and the enemy gets to plot its course. Related: Conservative ministers seek to play down Cameron's third -term bombshell That is the theory. In practice most leaders go only when defeated at an election or toppled by rivals in office. In other words they go when they are down, usually surrounded by mess. A leader’s discretion over their own future is regarded as a key weapon of power. There is no evidence it is in the public interest – or theirs. Already Cameron has introduced the concept of a fixed-term parliament. While some might prefer it to be four years rather than five, the concept cannot be said to have undermined good government. A more-or-less standard two-term prime minister – or three-term party leader – is hardly unthinkable. He or she would anyway have to go at least a year early to give a successor a run-in to an election. As for the dismay at Cameron musing on possible successors, so what? He is not the electoral college. He could equally be accused of setting up George Osborne, Theresa May and Boris Johnson as targets for younger Turks. Five years is an age in politics. Anything can happen. The British party system is crumbling. The public is disloyal and appears to crave personality, “authenticity” and “just-in-time” causes. This makes new demands on the profession of politics. One is for language that is less false and stage-managed, for politicians to talk like ordinary people. Cameron’s handling of parliament, notably the grotesque debasement of prime minister’s questions, may leave much to be desired. But he can surely shrug his shoulders at this silly response and tell the village gossips to grow up. |